Just keep on trying till you run out of cake

Today I was meant to be going to the job centre to have an interview about how my job hunt has been going, etc. Except that I had a really bad depression/anxiety attack, of the sort that leaves me entirely unable to leave the house, like I haven't had for ages. Until today. *sigh* I hate depression. Really truly loathe the thing.

I rang up the job centre who were less than sympathetic. My current plan is to just ignore the whole thing today, because my mental health always comes first, and if i can't cope then I can't cope. Then tomorrow or the day after, I shall contact the citizen's advice bureau, or my doctor, or someone, and look into trying to get disabled living allowance instead.

But on the plus side, I only feel like shit. I no longer believe that I am shit. Which is a definite improvement over a few years ago.

My personal thoughts are that you should get a GP appt sometime this week and get a sicknote for anxiety attack - or at least discuss it with GP. Then hand in sicknote to jobcentre and don't let them give you shit. If you had a physical illness which was unpredictable you'd hopefully get more sympathy, mental health should be no different.

(The aboe all being if you can handle it after today)

Also if you want me to come with you for moral support LMK. I am happy to be snotty at job centre ppl on your behalf and or help you with CAB. The local C.A.B number is 01227 761 493 - got it off irc when googling for Nat earlier.

DLA/incapacity might well be your better options...

CAB ppl will definately be able to tell you if JobCentre are allowed to be evil to you.

They're NOT allowed to be evil to you over this. I know this having actually broken down in the job centre myself - they couldn't thrust the box of tissues and incapacity benefit forms at me fast enough. Not that I actually used them, but I know they have to offer it to you as an option if needs be. And weirdly, the advisor I had was the bitch from hell, then turned into one of the most helpful and nicest people I ever met after the panic session - she's the one that actually found me a job.

Rho - best bet is to ask them next time you go in for incapacity benefit forms. If you tell them that you can't cope at the moment, and will be seeing your GP, they should be fine with that, if not sympathetic. If they get nasty with you and refuse, demand to see their supervisor and make a complaint about them. In fact, taking barakta along is a good idea. They tend to be more helpful if there's someone else there to get pissy with them. But they can't refuse you - you have every right to try for incapacity benefit.

They weren't evil at me as such, just very unsympathetic, unhelpful and abrupt. I rang them up when I really really didn't want to, but figured it was infinitely better than going in, and stammered horribly down the phone at them. They guy on the other end said something like "Oh. So you're unavvailable for work then.". I stammered a bit more, and did manage to get him to tell me that I had to go in within five working days or my claim would be cancelled, and even if I did that I'd have to make a statement which would go off for people to look at to decide whether or not to cancel my claim anyway. Which was really helpful. No really.

I'm going to speak to Natalya about it at some point, and try to come up with a coherent plan of action. Preferably one that doesn't involve going within 100 yards of the job centre, or having no money.

Just keep hangin' in there and always anticipating better and brighter moments to come. It'll take some time, but eventually the problem will disipate into nothingness---as long as you're in the right frame of mind of course.

I have a favour to ask of you

Hello My name is Jasmine and I have been searching livejournal randomly.. I really REALLY want one and nobody is generous enough to help me out with a code.. So I was wondering if you could help me out if that is possible.. If so my e-mail address is jazzybaby@hotmail.com I will also check back to see if you have answered me.. Thank you very much:)

Re: I have a favour to ask of you

I've screened your comment, because I don't want to advertise code sharing communities. Those places are evil. It's probably best not to point at other users either, because I don't trust random anoymous people to follow the instructions and not just whinge for a code. And I know for a fact that the people you've mentioned have better things to do with their time. Nothing personal, I just didn't want the original person to see it.

Re: I have a favour to ask of you

Re: I have a favour to ask of you

Thing of it is, Jasmine, is that LiveJournal has sort of a code of conduct. It is considered very rude on Planet LiveJournal to go into someone's journal (or house) and ask for a code. The proper way to go about getting a code would be to ask a friend of yours who has a LiveJournal if they would be so kind as to give you a code, or to ask around for one for you.

You certainly don't go up to a support volunteer and admin and ask them for a code. That angers them a lot, and they tend to have their minions, like me for instance, come and yell at the person. Now, you kinda lucked out, I guess. I'm very tired and even at the apex of my alertness I'm not known for being nasty. In fact, rho might just delete this whole thing.

But no, she isn't going to give you a code. You broke one of the first rules of LiveJournal.

Re: I have a favour to ask of you

I have an easy way for you to earn three codes. collect 100 soda pop bottles (the glass ones) and bring them to Michigan. Take them to the redemption center and you'll have $5 which will give you two codes immediately and another after one week!